1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a heterogeneous laminate including graphene, and a thermoelectric material, a thermoelectric module, and a thermoelectric apparatus including the heterogeneous laminate. In particular, the present disclosure relates to thermoelectric materials which provide improved thermoelectric conversion efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
The thermoelectric phenomenon refers to a reversible, direct energy conversion between heat and electricity which occurs when electrons and holes move in a material in response to a temperature gradient. The thermoelectric phenomenon includes the Peltier effect and the Seebeck effect. The Peltier effect is used in a cooling system and is based on a temperature difference provided at opposite ends of a material in response to an applied electrical current, and the Seebeck effect is used in a power generation system to provide an electromotive force based on a temperature difference between opposite ends of a material.
A thermoelectric material may be applied to provide a passive cooling system in a semiconductor apparatus to address heat-related problems, and as an active cooling system in an electronic device. Also, the use of thermoelectric materials is increasing in cooling applications as an alternative to conventional refrigerant gas compression. Thermoelectric cooling is an environmentally friendly, vibration-free, and low-noise cooling technology that does not use a refrigerant. Thus use of a conventional refrigerant, which can cause environmental problems, can be avoided. Accordingly, there remains a need for a more efficient thermoelectric material to provide increased thermoelectric cooling efficiency to expand the application range of thermoelectric materials to include residential or commercial cooling systems, such as a refrigerator or an air conditioner.
Also, there remains a need for an improved thermoelectric power generation material, which could be used in a heat dissipating portion of an automobile engine or an industrial factory. Accordingly, there is a need for a thermoelectric power generation material to provide an improved regeneration energy source.